


Sneer

by lunasaltator (orphan_account)



Series: KouAo Week (Tumblr) [2]
Category: DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel), DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, M/M, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-15 04:14:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4592496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/lunasaltator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>KouAo Week Prompt Day 2 - Reuniting</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sneer

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy! :)

After my arrival, I would turn whenever I saw shades of blue out of the corner of my eye, expecting to see him. When I left Midorijima, he was an adorable kitten, clingy and purring at the slightest touch. I wanted nothing more than to see him smile again, to bring purpose back to my life and remind me of the good in the world. I would first see him after being on the island for about three weeks, but it was nothing like I expected.

Spotting him among the throng of people was easy. His cornflower hair was wild, and the crowd gave him a wide berth like some invisible force was around him screaming to stay away. A couple of guys approached him, clearly looking to fight, and I remembered the days when I used to defend him from other kids. My mind wanted to help him, but my body stopped me, and for good reason. A moment later, a cruel sneer appeared on his face that sent chills down my spine. The kitten I once knew was now a feral cat, attacking anyone that got too close, including me.

It would be another few months before I saw him again. This time, it was in a bar inside a tattoo parlor that I began frequenting. The Black Needle was a good place to get away from my customers. Women are wonderful creatures, but I needed respite from the squealing. The owner, Mizuki, was a good friend of mine, and one of the few other Rib leaders I got along with.

“Hello! Delivery from Junk Shop Heibon!”

I looked over at the door and saw that head of sky-colored hair before anything else. He was a sight to behold, with ridiculous shoes and a little blue dog in his pouch next to a package. His grinning face brightened the room more than his hair. He sat down at the bar a seat down from me. I sipped my beer and watched him, trying to figure out who this new person was.

“Ah! Thanks, Aoba! Got any other deliveries today?” Mizuki asked as he took the package.

“I’m all done for today. I could use a beer after this week!” Aoba replied. He put the the bag with the dog Allmate in it on the floor so it could interact with Mizuki’s ermine Allmate. He still had no idea who I was.

“A new Series came out, so of course it’s been busy,” Mizuki said, “When’s your next day off?”

Aoba took a huge gulp of the beer and sighed in contentment, “I’m not scheduled for the next two days, but Haga-san’s been calling me in on my days off. He’s a good boss, so I can’t possibly say no to him.”

I kept drinking my beer in an attempt to drown my nerves. I wondered if he forgot who I was or if I was no longer recognizable. I knew I was covered in scars and tattoos that I took great care to cover, but my face looked more or less the same.

“Want another beer?” Mizuki asked, pulling me out of my haze. I could feel Aoba’s eyes settle on me.

“K-Koujaku? Is that you?”

“Y-yeah! How have you been?” I looked back at him and grinned, trying to hide my anxiety, but my mouth betrayed my greatest efforts.

“It’s been so long! How are you?” I finally got a decent look at him. The crazed aura I saw him exude through a crowd was nowhere to be found. His hair was shorter and cleaner, but still quite long and that eye-catching shade of blue. He looked at me with a true smile, the kind that exuded through the entire body and made someone light up. My chest twinged, and I realized how badly I needed another beer.

“I’ve been okay. How are you? And Tae-san?” A full mug was in front of me and I gulped most of it in an instant.

“Just working. Granny’s been alright.” He took light sips from what was left of his beer. The tension was thick enough that it threatened to materialize into something real on the stool between us. Mizuki saw our awkwardness and offered Aoba another beer, poking fun at how much of a lightweight he was. I made up an excuse to leave, paid my tab, and left without another word, forgetting to keep my cool facade that I was so well-known for.

I thought I was ready to see him again, to have my old best friend back, but we were both so different. When we were children, we were both innocent, pure, and happy. Now, we were all baggage and scars with bodies we had left in our wake, but neither of us knew who to talk to or what to do about it. Life had taken us down separate paths, and I was now a murderer. Maybe I did lose my best friend.

The next time I saw him, he was on his way home from work and I was out to get dinner, careful to avoid any customers along the way.

“Ah! Koujaku!” he stopped, “Where are you headed?”

“I was going to get some dinner. Care to join me?” I was determined to erase the weirdness between us.

He wrinkled his brow and thought for a moment. “Granny’s making stew tonight. I know it’s been a long time and it’s on short notice, but I think she’d be happy to see you.”

Of course he would beat me to it. “I missed Tae-san’s cooking.” Seeing him smile again helped wash away the fear of that cruel sneer he once had. Something told me everything would be alright between us after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I seriously considered making the last line "I'm always a slut for Tae's cooking!" but that meme is already dead haha.


End file.
